RE: laptop screen size problem
hi
... yeah I was trying to keep the initial installation as simple as possible
as I hadn't installed Debian on a laptop previously (eg. running XF86_SVGA
server etc.). Machine video specs follow:
8 MB Video RAM
Max Res: SVGA - 1280 * 1024, Char. Matrix 8x16, Freq. Ver: 60Hz, Horiz:
48.3/60.0/68.7
wld like to run it @ supported mode -> 1024x768; Freq. Ver: 60/75Hz, Horiz:
48.3/60.0/68.7
... is an S3 chipset (Adapter= S3_Inc. Savage /IX w?MV - according to Win98
display properties).
thanks
Andrew
-----Original Message-----
From: Bret Comstock Waldow [mailto:bwaldow@compuserve.com]
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 3:59 PM
To: SMITH Paul
Cc: Debian-Laptop (E-mail); Andrew McRobert
Subject: Re: laptop screen size problem
Hello,
Explanations and answers are interspersed below:
SMITH Paul wrote:
> If you select the full resolution of the LCD, it may use the full screen.
I
> think this is a Toshiba problem.
No, this is not a Toshiba problem. The pixels (dots) on the laptop are
physical little cells, each with it's own transistors to make it work.
The pixels don't get bigger or smaller when you switch to a higher or
lower resolution -- just more or less are activated by the display
adapter in the computer. That's why the picture becomes larger or
smaller.
On a CRT monitor (like most desktops), the circuitry adjusts it's scan
size to fill the physical screen, regardless of the resolution, so the
picture fills the screen...
please see below for an explanation of the real problem here...
> I've recently installed debian on a laptop here @ work (Toshiba Sat Pro.
> 4260) & configured X-Windows. I'm having problems though with the size of
> the screen running linux.
>
> As with most laptops, the original start up screen (say for Win98) runs in
a
> small centred section of the screen (say 1/3 of the size of the 14"
screen,
> centred). Win98 then expands into the whole of the screen when its login
> page is displayed.
This is because Win98 is going to a resolution which fills the screen,
likely 1024x768.
> However, linux, whether running the CLI or X-Win only displays in this
> small, centred, section of the screen. I've tried a number of things to
fix
> this but haven't had any luck ... any help wld be greatly appreciated.
>
> My config file follows:
>
> # File generated by xf86config.
[much snipping here...]
You don't say what video chip your system has, for now I'll assume it's
using the XF86_SVGA server. Look at the lines labelled 'Modes' in the
sections below. With the exception of the
"The 16-color VGA server" and "The Mono server" sections, all the modes
are 640x400 or 640x480. You aren't using either of them -- they are
boilerplate sections generated by the configuration tool.
That's why your system always displays a small screen -- it is being
told to by the XF86Config file you are using.
So, what configuration tool are you using to create your XF86Config
file?
What is your video chip set?
What resolution is your laptop screen capable of?
Tell us these things, and someone can probably help you get set up.
> # **********************************************************************
> # Screen sections
> # **********************************************************************
>
> # The Colour SVGA server
>
> Section "Screen"
> Driver "svga"
> # Use Device "Generic VGA" for Standard VGA 320x200x256
> #Device "Generic VGA"
> Device "temp"
> Monitor "new"
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 8
> # Omit the Modes line for the "Generic VGA" device
> Modes "640x400"
> ViewPort 0 0
> #Virtual 1024 768
> # Use Virtual 320 200 for Generic VGA
> EndSubsection
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 16
> Modes "640x480"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 24
> Modes "640x480"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 32
> Modes "640x480"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> EndSection
>
> # The 16-color VGA server
>
> Section "Screen"
> Driver "vga16"
> Device "Generic VGA"
> Monitor "new"
> Subsection "Display"
> Modes "640x480" "800x600"
> ViewPort 0 0
> Virtual 800 600
> EndSubsection
> EndSection
>
> # The Mono server
>
> Section "Screen"
> Driver "vga2"
> Device "Generic VGA"
> Monitor "new"
> Subsection "Display"
> Modes "640x480" "800x600"
> ViewPort 0 0
> Virtual 800 600
> EndSubsection
> EndSection
>
> # The accelerated servers (S3, Mach32, Mach8, 8514, P9000, AGX, W32,
Mach64)
>
> Section "Screen"
> Driver "accel"
> Device "temp"
> Monitor "new"
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 8
> Modes "640x400"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 16
> Modes "640x480"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 24
> Modes "640x480"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> Subsection "Display"
> Depth 32
> Modes "640x480"
> ViewPort 0 0
> EndSubsection
> EndSection
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